Namibia photography tour

You will arrive at Hosea Kutako (Windhoek International) Airport early in the morning, where you will be welcomed by us. Afterwards we drive directly to our accommodation in Windhoek and the rest of the day is free for you to relax. In between, we'll take a quick trip to the supermarket and buy the last few little things you're missing. In the evening we have dinner together in Windhoek.

Windhoek is Namibia's capital, home to an international airport and a wealth of restaurants, shops, entertainment and accommodation options. The city is clean, and well-organized, with a colonial heritage reflected in its many German restaurants and shops, and widespread use of the German language. Windhoek has an interesting mix of historic architecture and modern buildings, many of which are worth a look, including the Alte Feste (Old Fort), the 1896 Christ Church and the contemporary Supreme Court.

On the banks of the dry Arebbusch, the Arebbusch Travel Lodge is located in the natural environment of the "Veld". Far from the hustle and bustle of central city life, but just minutes from the capital's shopping centers and attractions. Arebbusch Travel Lodge offers a wide range of accommodation in a safe, clean and family-friendly environment.

The Kalahari is an exceptionally beautiful residential desert, a large, semi-arid, sandy savannah covered by a gentle inland sea of sand that covers most of Botswana and large parts of Namibia and South Africa. It is also the San people's last base with the modern world having enveloped all other realms they once roamed. Here in Namibia it is typically red sand covered in thin, mostly golden grass and dotted with acacia trees and extensive wildlife such as gemsbok, impala, jackals and cheetah.

After breakfast we stop again at a supermarket so that you can take a few drinks and other things with you on the journey. Then we drive south into the Kalahari Desert. This desert is a large semi-arid sand savannah in southern Africa, extending over 900,000 square kilometers and covering much of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa.

"When you get here, you don't have to look for the Kalahari. The red dunes are here, the camel thorn trees are everywhere and you're just in the middle of it."

Built on a majestic red dune, Suricate Tented Lodge overlooks the pans of the Auob wetland.

Combining the ultimate African safari experience with the comfort and luxury of modern living, the tents leave a lasting impression on all guests.

In the evening, if you want, you can practice taking photos of the starry sky.

Windhoek - Kalahari: 254km approx. 3 hours

Overnight: Suricate Kalahari Tented Lodge   

High above the pans of the Auob wetlands is the Suricate Tented Lodge, built on a majestic red dune. Combining the ultimate African safari experience with the comfort and luxury of modern living, the tents leave a lasting impression on all our guests.

We start the day with a delicious breakfast and then, not too late, set off on the slightly longer route to the quiver tree forest near Keetmanshoop. Enjoy an incredible sunset.

Night photography under a breathtaking night sky with the famous Quiver Trees as a subject.

The Quivertree Forest Rest Camp is located on the Gariganus farm just 13 km northeast of Keetmanshoop on the M29 road, here we offer tourists comfortable accommodation in the middle of an untouched Namibia landscape. At the farm, visitors can explore the ancient and famous Quivertree Forest and the Dolerite rock formations at their leisure.

Included: Overnight stay, dinner, breakfast, park permits (sunrise to sunset)

Three hour drive from Keetmanshoop to Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon in the world.

Relax at Gondwana's Canyon Village Lodge and explore the area.

Night photo session.

Fish River Canyon

The intermittent Fish River is Africa's largest and the second largest gorge in the world. Hot, dry and rocky, this impressive gorge is 160 km long, 27 km wide and 550 m deep. At the southern end are the famous hot springs of Ai-Ais.         

Canyon Village Lodge in Gondwana Canyon Park is only 20 km away from the Fish River Canyon. Enjoy delicious meals in the restaurant and be transported to the pioneer days of agriculture through the carefully arranged décor. Read a book on the tree-shaded patio or relax by the swimming pool overlooking the Fish River Canyon.

The Fish River Canyon is the largest canyon in Africa and attracts many visitors every year. This overlook has beautiful panoramic views of the canyon, where visitors can view the Fish River through sharp corners amid rocky terrain.

We continue to Lüderitz. A place where it seems as if time has stood still. Lüderitz reveals itself to be a nostalgic, very colorful little town, due to the numerous lovingly maintained buildings from the German colonial period in the Art Nouveau and Wilhelmine architectural styles that were popular at the time. The city is overlooked by the Evangelical Lutheran rock church from 1911 and the Goerke House with its bright blue roof and its magnificent sundial

Lüderitz

This coastal town is an anomaly - a slice of the 19th century bordering the pink dunes of the Namib Desert. Lutheran churches, German bakeries and colonial buildings dot the settlement, while the windswept beaches are home to flamingos, ostriches, seals and penguins. The nearby ghost town of Kolmannskuppe is one of the most fascinating attractions in the area, located about 10 kilometers from Lüderitz.

Kolmannskuppe , the most popular ghost town in Namibia, at least for every visitor and even more so for the photographer. Here time has stood still, but the nature around it has lived on. Located on the southern flank of the expansive Namib Desert, the small town of Kolmannskuppe has been reclaimed by the sand. In Kolmannskuppe you can really let off steam. The abandoned city, slowly but surely being buried by the desert, offers so much to discover, whether it's the swimming pool on the hill, the morbid charm of the hospital or just a wealth of abstract or graphic motifs that give us that A play of light and shadow in the dilapidated houses. I'm sure everyone will be thrilled.

Wild Horses of the Namib

They fight for a life in freedom and have an irresistible fascination: the wild horses of the Namib in southwest Namibia. For centuries their origin was shrouded in mystery. Their habitat, the barren plains around Garub on the eastern edge of the Namib Desert, is no paradise; nevertheless, they managed to adapt to the harsh conditions. Their ancestors, who were once in the service of humans, gained freedom for themselves: a life in the vastness of the Namib, away from human civilization, according to the rules of their own horse society. Perhaps that is the reason for the fascination of thousands of visitors every year.

In the morning we set off again towards Aus. The infinity of this landscape with grass savannahs, wide, stony desert plains and the small Koichab dunes. The wild horses also live nearby, which, it is said, were left behind by the former German protection force and have been fighting for survival ever since. With a bit of luck we'll make a photo stop here. The journey continues north, through changing landscape panoramas with wide scree plains, gorges with piled-up volcanic rock walls, a wave-shaped sea of dunes, into the heart of the oldest desert on our planet: the Namib

Sossusvlei surrounded by the iconic red dunes of the Namib is our next destination. The clear blue sky contrasting with the huge red dunes makes this one of Africa's natural wonders and a photographer's paradise. Aside from Sossusvlei's attractions - Dune 45, Hiddenvlei, Big Daddy and Deadvlei - other attractions in the area include Sesriem Canyon and the Namib-Naukluft National Park, where the Namib mountains meet their plains.

Lüderitz - Namib Desert Lodge: 555km, 6 hours

Today we start before sunrise so that we are at the entrance gate of the almost 50,000 km2 Namib Naukluft Park by sunrise. We drive straight to Dead Vlei which is the highlight of every Namibia trip, the dead trees in the morning light have something mystical about them.

Overnight stay: Namib Desert Lodge Gondwana Collection Namibia

The main building and the chalets of the Namib Desert Lodge are spread out at the foot of the petrified dunes of the ancient Namib. A comfortable stay is guaranteed by 65 rooms with bathroom and air conditioning. A restaurant and bar, an inviting terrace with a view of the petrified dunes and two swimming pools invite you to linger and relax. Oryx antelopes and springboks make frequent visits to our illuminated watering hole.

The rooms offer a wonderful view of the vastness of the savannah or the petrified dunes of the ancient Namib. They are equipped with double beds, private bathrooms, air conditioning and a small veranda.

Dead Vlei

This ancient clay pan was once an oasis studded with acacia trees and fed by a river that suddenly changed course, drying the earth with the trees that previously supported it. So dry were the climatic conditions that the trees never decomposed - instead, they were completely leached of moisture, so that today, 900 years later, they remain as dried, blackened sentinels, dotting the cracked surface of the pan. Surrounded by the red-pink dunes of the Namibia Desert, they create a surreal spectacle that is a photographer's dream.

We continue north through the gray-white plains of the Namib Naukluft Park past bizarre landscapes to Swakopmund, a holiday resort located meters between the Atlantic and the dunes. Palm avenues, parks, historic buildings and the refreshingly cool summer weather contribute to the attractiveness of this city. The Desert Sands Hotel is ideally located within walking distance of Jetty Bay with the pier and the stylish rooms are ideal for unpacking and rearranging your equipment. The afternoon is free to explore the city.

Swakopmund

Founded in 1892 as the main port for German South West Africa, Swakopmund is often described as more German than Germany. Now it is a seaside resort. Swakopmund is the capital of the Skeleton Coast tourism area and has plenty to keep visitors happy. The quirky mix of German and Namibian influences, colonial-era buildings and the cool sea breeze make it very popular.

Overnight stay: Desert Sands Boutique B&B

Today pachyderms are on the program. Together with a guide, we drive to the dry river areas in Damaraland and look for the desert elephants, who live here in small groups in the middle of a very inhospitable environment. With a bit of luck, we will see the elephants up close and, in addition to the special experience, great photo opportunities are of course almost guaranteed. The trip is offered in an open 4 x 4 vehicle and follows the tracks of the elephants, mostly in the dry riverbed. This is also a good opportunity to meet common plains game such as zebra, kudu, oryx, springbok, ostrich and giraffe.

Ozondjou Trails is located on a small plateau and offers wonderful panoramic views over the Ugab Rivier and the massive Brandberg. Ozondjou is the Herero word for elephant. 

Accommodation is in comfortable Meru-style tents with solar lights, en-suite shower, sink and flush toilet. A tent lapa serves as a dining room and lounge. A full English breakfast and a 3-course fire pit dinner are included. Local drinks are included in your stay.

For our final stop we head west to Otjiwarongo to the Okonjima Plains Camp and the Africat Foundation. In the 33,000 hectare wildlife reserve, located in the middle of the Namibian bush, the foundation is primarily dedicated to research into wild leopards, pangolins and the brown hyena. During our stay we will undertake leopard tracking and, with a bit of luck, we will observe the impressive animals up close.

But of course Okonjima doesn't just have cats to offer; in addition to a large number of antelopes and zebras, giraffes, rhinos and a number of hyenas also live in the large nature reserve. The wildlife photographers will get their money's worth. As a special feature, we will spend a sundowner together with cheetahs, so every participant gets photo opportunities that you don't get in front of the lens on normal trips...

Overnight: Okonjima Plains Camp     

Not only is Okonjima a luxurious lodge, but also the home of the AfriCat Foundation, a non-profit organization that works for the long-term conservation of Namibia's large carnivores, especially cheetahs and leopards. A visit to Okonjima gives you the opportunity to get a good insight into the AfriCat Foundation and its research work. The Plains Camp design honors Okonjima's ranching history when Okonjima was still a cattle ranch.